


Love in Every Bloom

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Also kind of, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Alternate Universe - Spirits, Fluff, Getting Together, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, Seasonal Spirits and Guardians, Temporary Amnesia, Temporary Character Death, kind of, like very light
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-01
Packaged: 2019-04-30 21:24:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14505765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: This is the tale of a river spirit who falls in love with a storm spirit whose job it is to carry him home. Part of the Shance Flower Exchange event!





	Love in Every Bloom

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Khellamendra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khellamendra/gifts).



> Hello! This is my gift fic for Khellamendra as part of the Shance Flower Exchange! Their flower prompt was "anything", so I tossed in a few different flowers. I hope you and anyone else reading enjoys! Thank you so much to the host for organizing this super fun event! :)
> 
> This got very plotty haha, but I had fun with it! :D

Since he had been born, Lance had always been free. From the moment his source had burst forth and forged its winding path down the mountain, the spirit of the river had known what it meant to fly.

And so every day he flew. The water raced the creatures beside him, taking care not to hurt those within. He splashed against the rocks on the shoreline, delivering precious minerals downstream and giving new life in the form of beautiful flowers and slippery moss patterns.

When he reached the end of his journey, he would simply wait for the next passing storm to bring him back to his source, where he would gather his strength for his next long trek. It was possible for him to fight his own current and go upstream on his own, but doing so had all kinds of negative consequences on the local fauna; changing directions, going against his very nature, severely confused the animals he housed, and he had no desire to so severely derail their equilibrium.

He rarely had to wait long for a storm to pick him up, as the lush mountain range was nearly overrun with them. He almost wished he was granted  _more_  time to spend on the beach where he concluded his trip, as his fellow spirits would always join him to celebrate another successful run. 

Among his closest friends were Pidge, a spirit who ruled over the hardy plants and wildlife of the forest Lance and his many tributaries watered, and Hunk, the earth of the mountain that parted such that Lance could get from his source to the ocean. 

Hunk lounged on the sandbar, which was only there thanks to countless cycles of his and Lance’s combined efforts wearing away his larger boulders, while Pidge stayed closer to the mouth of the river, seated on a soft blanket of moss nestled against Lance’s banks.

Lance was sharing tales of his journey; while he traveled relatively the same path every cycle, he still always managed to craft some wondrous new story that never failed to entertain. He told of the new generation of fish he’d had the honor of meeting, delighted that they’d survived the mild cold season, and of a strange object he’d found close to his source.

He pulled the object from a small pouch at his hip. It was a texture he wasn’t familiar with, not quite like the thin slices of young bark that Pidge liked to take notes on. Even odder, the sheet hadn’t been damaged by the currents, looking as new and bright as the time he’d found it.

“What do you think it is?” he asked, handing the sheet to Hunk.

He hummed thoughtfully. “Doesn’t feel like one of mine… well, maybe… almost like… a much older thing, if that makes sense?”

Pidge snatched it up, bringing the item close to her face. “Wait…” she began. “I recognize this flower. I don’t have them, myself, too humid here. Larkspurs. And the rest of these symbols… they look familiar.”

“What are they?” Lance asked, leaning over to peer at the object even though he’d long since memorized its contents.

“It’s a bit out of my territory, I think. But, near your first bend—you know that small pond? If you start there and head toward the sunrise, past my limits and near that funny-looking corner of the mountain, there’s a large, wooden square with the exact same picture and symbols. I think it’s writing—like when I take my notes, but a different language.”

Lance frowned. “Do you know what it means?”

“No, I can’t make it out. If I had more to go off of, maybe I could see to translating it, like how I translated for those new birds when they migrated here.”

“Do you think it could be other spirits?” Hunk guessed. “That far out, that’s not my domain, either. Looks like we’ve got a mystery!”

“Well, whoever put up that sign doesn’t seem to be doing any harm,” Lance said. “Who knows, maybe by this time next cycle, they’ll have reached out to us!” he smiled, bright at the prospect of new friends. "Pidge, none of your animals go that way?”

She shook her head. “Apparently they don’t like the smell. I don’t see much vegetation, either. Hunk, do you know the spirit of that land?”

Frowning, he looked toward the mountain in question. “You know what… I don’t. I know I can’t be the only earth spirit on the island, but I’ve never met another one. There’s got to be at least one more, maybe even two, unless the other’s domain is huge.”

Before they could continue, above them, lightning crackled suddenly. They startled, watching as the unexpected storm formed in the sky.

“That’s weird,” Lance mused. “Is it one of us?”

“Gotta be, given the size,” Pidge glared. “The animals weren’t expecting a big one…” She rose rapidly. “Sorry, guys, I need to make sure everyone’s got decent shelter for the storm. See you next time?”

“Of course. See you, Pidge!” Lance waved to her. “Keep an eye out for those other creatures!”

“Will do! Hunk—good luck with your little plate problem!”

Hunk groaned, rubbing at an ache in his upper back. “Thanks, hopefully that’ll settle itself naturally.”

With one last parting wave, Pidge faded into the tree line; Lance and Hunk could mark her progress by the sight of birds rustling the leaves and the sound of larger animals calling out to her in friendly greeting.

The storm grew ever more, and Lance grinned upon recognizing the pattern of swirling clouds. Beside him, Hunk sighed.

“It hasn’t been so long,” Hunk mused. “Usually I get ten cycles in before I have to witness your horrible flirting with Shiro.”

Lance laughed. “Hey, I’m not complaining. You’re welcome to leave us alone—you know I always love private time with him.”

“I’ll stay for now—someone’s gotta make sure you don’t make a fool of yourself. Besides, some of my lands aren’t doing too great—you sure you didn’t pick up anything else? Anything more… erode-y?”

He pursed his lips, thoughtful. “My source is clean as ever—nothing new to report in terms of my composition.”

“Alright, I trust you.” Still, Lance could hear the worry in his tone.

Lance clapped Hunk on the back. “I’ll look into it, though, once I get back.”

“Thanks, Lance.”

A loud boom sounded, and a new spirit appeared on the shore, waves lapping at his ankles.

“Shiro!” Lance hopped to his feet and moved to cross the distance, his waters leading him right to where Shiro stood. “How was your trip? We weren’t expecting you so soon!”

He smiled down at Lance. While he stood tall, his legs were shaky on the shifting sand, his voyage not having brought him over land for a long time. “Yeah, I had some help and got here quickly this year.”

Lance giggled at the word. Shiro insisted on using strange language at times, and he justified it by saying that such words were used by many creatures to demark the passage of time. Lance, Hunk, and Pidge much preferred traditional terminology such as “cycle” and journey” rather than words like “year”. “Did you bring me anything?” Lance asked. 

Shiro reached into into his bag and produced a glossy, smooth rock. “You know, I must reiterate that this is very much against the rules.”

Lance’s hand darted out to snatch the rock, and he admired its shine with an attentive eye. “Good thing you love me, then, huh?”

Shiro flushed, though Lance failed to notice, too engaged with his new bauble. Hunk raised a brow at the expression—perhaps Lance’s jokes and flirtations were actually having some effect on the tropical storm spirit; though, he honestly didn’t know for sure if Lance himself was genuine in his affections or if he simply liked the attention that came with teasing Shiro. 

The storm cleared his throat, and a low rumble of thunder boomed overhead. “Where’s Pidge?” he asked, changing the subject. “She’s usually hanging out with you two when I show up.”

“She took off,” Lance explained. “Apparently your presence came as quite a surprise to everyone, even the animals, so she left to make arrangements.”

Shiro frowned, brow furrowed in thought. “That’s strange. I didn’t think there would be such little warning. I’ll be sure to apologize when I see her.”

“How long are you here for this time around?” Lance asked. “Last time you stormed for seven whole sunsets!” He crossed his arms and pouted. “As much as I enjoyed your company, you brought me a lot more volume than I even knew what to do with! Flooded a few of Pidge’s plots and made some marshes!”

He only chuckled at the mild scolding, knowing Lance bore him no ill will. “I’m sorry. This time shouldn’t last nearly as long. . Since I traveled so fast I didn’t have time to pick up much more water for you. It’s certainly not a drought year, but far less than last time.”

“That’s alright. I’m still overflowing, as you can see.” And truly, while the river spirit looked normal at first glance, a closer inspection revealed that his body was wavering uncomfortably in spots, as if he couldn’t fully contain all that he was.

Shiro averted his gaze, but a swirling of clouds revealed his slight embarrassment to Hunk’s all-knowing eyes. The last time Shiro had brought Lance back to his source, Lance had spent the following two cycles raving about the wonderful time he’d spent ogling the storm—perhaps his little crush would actually develop into something, Hunk thought. It was a shame, though, that Shrio was a major storm that skipped several cycles between appearances, rather than a minor wind who blew through several times a cycle. Those spirits were many, and usually a few of them were enough to carry Lance home; while the river appreciated these peers, he much preferred the quick trips offered by storms, and of all the storms, he preferred Shiro’s assistance the most.

Knowing Shiro was more pressed for time given his rushed route, Lance gathered himself quickly so they could be on their way. The pair bid Hunk goodbye before starting their journey back up the river.

“So,” Lance began the moment they were out of earshot—he only hoped Pidge was too busy to listen in; while Hunk bemoaned his flirting with Shiro, he never discouraged it, whereas Pidge was the one who outright teased him, going so far as to embarrass him in front of the storm. “How was your journey, Shiro? Did you manage to complete your usual route?”

“I did. Spent a fair amount of time on the other side of the ocean. Like I said, I got here earlier than expected—a few stray winds joined me and pushed me along. Keith, too, actually sped things up.”

“That hothead,” Lance rolled his eyes. “There’s a spirit who doesn’t know how to stop and smell the wildflowers.”

Shiro chuckled. Keith and he were close, akin to brothers. Every cycle, Shiro only awoke when the heat of Keith’s rays created the pressure system that allowed the storm to form. But, Lance held a grudge against him ever since the few rough cycles when Keith hadn’t brought Shiro to replenish him, but rather beat against the island without mercy and nearly dried Lance's very source out; he hadn’t meant anything by it, of course, but unlike spirits confined to their lands, those such as Shiro and Keith were slaves to the will of the heavens. “Speaking of wildflowers,” he gestured toward several blossoms springing up from between the pebbles on Lance’s banks. “These are new—Pidge?”

Lance flushed, covering his expression by splashing over the flowers, though they hardly needed more watering. Thanks to the last cycle and his…  _feelings_ … they’d gotten all they needed to bloom. While it was usually safe to assume that any new flora was a result of Pidge’s touch, they both knew that these white patches along Lance’s sides were all him those days—this only offered Pidge another source for her teasing. “We’re not sure,” he lied. “I think some wind brought new seeds to me this cycle, or something.”

“They’re beautiful,” Shiro noted. “Never seen blooms like them on this island—I wonder where you got them from?” He smiled slyly and nudged Lance’s shoulder; his waters rippled in response. “Is there another storm I should be worried about?”

Lance winked conspiratorially. “You know you’re the only storm for me, Shiro—and for the island!” he added hastily, not wanting to make himself too obvious; though, he chided himself, the wink then had perhaps already been too much. 

“I love Pidge’s work,” Shiro said. “But I can tell these aren’t her style. They’re too dainty… too fragile. She prefers bulkier trees and stalks.”

“Yeah…” Lance eyed the tiny, white flowers with suspicion, as if he was worried they’d tell Shiro the truth about their existence. 

Bending down, Shiro reached a gentle hand toward the nearest patch. Much to Lance’s chagrin, his flowers danced at the mere presence of the storm. “Woah…” Shiro breathed, retracting his hand. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to create any winds.”

“It’s fine,” Lance replied, accepting the excuse happily. “They’re not as flimsy as they look.”

“What are they?”

“Daisies, according to Pidge.”

Taking care not to produce any undue breezes, Shiro once more extended his hand toward the flowers; they reached back, delighting in his touch. “Woah,” he repeated. “Is this… normal?” His look conveyed his genuine awe, and Lance’s heart stuttered. A strong current circled their ankles, nearly forcing Lance to trip into Shiro, but he righted himself quickly with a harsh glare toward his waters.

“You okay?” Shiro asked. “Still a bit volatile from my last visit?” he rose, stepping toward Lance with concern clearly written on his face.

“Something like that,” he laughed nervously, cursing himself for his own betrayal—as if the flowers weren’t bad enough, now his own element was working against him? At least with the flowers he could cite that they weren’t truly from him as the reason that he had no control over them.

“Maybe you’re getting sick from being away from your source for too long,” Shiro frowned. “We should hurry, if that’s the case.”

“Oh, alright…” Lance said meekly.

As Shiro pressed onward, Lance followed closely behind. Now that the storm was on a mission, not just a casual stroll, Lance’s attempts at idle chatter went largely ignored. Lance sighed, reminded of the cold and formal way their relationship used to be before he managed to flow past Shiro’s walls. 

And how fortunate that he’d done so! He hadn’t expected to grow so close to the storm spirit when they had met for the first time. In fact, Lance had been too intimidated by him to say more than a polite greeting when they met. Sure, he had immediately been drawn to Shiro’s awesome powers, had swooned at his strength when he easily took Lance back home singlehandedly. But, when he actually got to know Shiro, he found that he was more than just a pretty face with impressive arms. He was funny, for one, and humor was a top priority for Lance, who spent so much of his time alone and so made sure to take full advantage whenever he was around other spirits to boost their moods as much as possible. 

Shiro was also a very self-aware spirit. As a storm, he recognized that for many creatures, he was something of an ill omen, a bringer of flooding and even death when he lingered for too long. He’d confided in Lance previously about how he used to fear himself for what he’d done; when he got close to spirits, he naturally wanted to spend more time with them, but for the most part, their homes were usually devastated when he did so. While he was no longer as self-deprecating as he used to be, Lance could still tell that he was wary, preferring to keep himself to coasts and gulfs while avoiding land as much as possible—of course, as a result, he had few friends beyond the spirits on the island, Keith, and a few other weather spirits who weren’t as affected by his work. They’d had a long conversation during Shiro’s last visit. Extended as it was, Shiro was worried that he’d somehow hurt Lance, Pidge, and Hunk, but Lance reassured him that their island was resilient enough to handle a tropical storm, no matter how powerful. Lance only hoped his words had had some positive impact on Shiro, as the storm had been similarly supportive for Lance whenever he had been lower—both in terms of water level and emotions.

Lance had always thought highly of Shiro, but it wasn’t until the end of his last visit that he had started feeling something… new. And, it wasn’t until after Shiro left that Lance was able to reflect on his thoughts and feelings enough to realize that he’d fallen for the ephemeral storm; he knew he shouldn’t have been too shocked, given their friendship, but he still fought against it for some time. Of course, despite his best efforts, it was clear in his heart and in his domain just how he felt.

Pidge was the first to notice the change in his form. When she came to check on her mosses on his banks, she was surprised to find dainty white flowers pushing through the pebbles. She nearly chastised herself for forgetting about her own children, but closer inspection revealed that the flower’s origins were the river, not the forest. It was odd, but not unheard of for non-plant spirits to produce new life. Long before, Hunk had sprouted his own mighty sunflowers at the fault line that divided their half of the island from the other.

She was quickly able to deduce that the cause of these flowers was Lance’s own strong feelings. Given that they’d sprouted after Shiro’s visit, she put the clues together to form the whole picture. From then on, her teasing had been relentless. Still, she knew when to back off, as sometimes bringing up Shiro too often would cause Lance to fall into a wistful, pensive slump, especially during cycles when the storm wasn’t there to pick him back up. 

“We’re almost there,” Shiro’s voice cut through Lance’s reverie like a lightning strike.

“Huh?” he looked around, impressed to see that they were nearly to his first bend. “Oh, wow! We were fast!”

Shiro nodded. “Probably for the best. I shouldn’t stick around for too long. The island’s looking plenty lush without me.”

“Of course! I do a great job keeping things watered around here,” Lance boasted with a proud smile.

Shiro returned the look. “You do, Lance. You’re one of the hardest working water spirits I’ve met.”

Lance prayed that Shiro couldn’t detect the increase in temperature of his waters. He chuckled. “Well, naturally! But, of course Pidge and Hunk help a lot, too!”

“Don’t sell yourself short. Every time I come back I’m more and more impressed with what you’ve managed to do. This island used to be barren before your spring came to the surface.”

“Well, that only happened because Hunk moved his ass so I could get through,” Lance laughed.

“Sure, but you had a rough few years in the beginning—Keith certainly didn’t make things easier on you, either.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” he scoffed.

“He only pushed you because he knew you could handle it; I know he doesn’t say it a lot—or ever, really—but he admires your tenacity.”

He crossed his arms. “I guess I can stop giving him such a hard time— _if_  he apologizes! I know, I know,” he began, noting Shiro’s mouth opening, surely to give his usual defense. “You guys don’t have a lot of control over the lives of small spirits like us, but still! He could warn a guy! That can’t be against the rules!”

“Well,  _technically…_ ”

Lance brushed aside his comment with a wave of his hand and a small splash of water. “No more talk of Keith—I thought we were complimenting me.”

“Well, only  _I_ was complimenting you, but if you’d like to join in and compliment yourself, that’s fine too.”

“I like hearing you say it better.”

“Really?” Shiro smirked. “Because to me it seems like it embarrasses you.”

“Me?” he snorted. “No way! I take to compliments like fish to water!”

Shiro laughed. “Really?”

“Really! Try me!”

“Have I told you before just how beautiful you look from the sky?”

“Huh?” Lance nearly lost his footing, and it wasn’t due to the mossy rock underfoot. Around them his waters roared, much to the fish’s annoyance. 

“I guess I haven’t,” Shiro continued. “That’s a shame. I love seeing you like this, of course, and talking beside you is great, but seeing all of you at once, your purest, raw form… it’s something else.”

“I don’t… huh?” he repeated. He knew his embarrassment was now on his face, not just in his waters at that point. There had been a couple of times when Shiro had responded in a way that could perhaps be interpreted as flirtatious, but never anything like this! Lance’s heart could hardly handle it.

“I’m sorry,” Shiro looked uneasy, and above them the clouds darkened. “I need to be honest with you. There’s a reason I’m out here so early.”

“I thought it was Keith’s fault.”

“Well, he helped, but I asked him to rush things along before I faded away last cycle.”

“What do you mean? Why? Is that safe for you?” Lance frowned. 

“I’m fine, just a little weaker than usual—but it’s hardly bad for me to do this. In fact, it might be better, both for me and the coasts I frequent, that I make my trip more often in the future rather than waiting for such a large buildup.”

“Why would you ask Keith to do this?”

“Because. I wanted to see you. To talk to you.”

“Okay… like what we’re doing now?”

“Yes. Well, sort of?” he rubbed his upper arm, chewing his lip nervously. “Actually, I should just cut to the chase. Lance. These years that we’ve had together have been some of the best of my existence. And, I know it’s hard sometimes, since we go so long between visits, but I’ve come to care for you a great deal. So great, in fact that I—“

Lance, for all his strengths, was not a patient person, especially in the case of someone he liked confessing their own similar feelings. And so, without hesitating, he surged forward, crashing his lips against Shiro’s in a mighty swell of affection.

If Lance hadn’t been so engaged with finally kissing Shiro, he may have noted an agitated rush of fish at his feet as his waters rose in response to Shiro’s rains. He also may have heard the annoyed rustle of trees around them and felt the amused rumble of earth below. As it was, he felt it much more important that he devote his full attention to Shiro for as much time as he was allowed. 

Eventually, he pulled away, smiling up at Shiro’s face, framed by his expansive clouds in the sky behind him. 

“You interrupted me,” Shiro’s tone was pouty, but he was grinning. 

“You said you wanted to cut to the chase, so I did.”

“Very efficient of you.”

“I like to think so, too. Now, I think you were in the middle of taking me home, weren’t you?”

Lightning lit up the sky, and Lance laughed. 

“I should have you carry me,” he said. “I’m practically swooning.”

“I could, if you want me to,” Shiro laughed. 

“Nah, I’m strong enough to walk.” He backed out of Shiro’s hold, making sure to take one of his hands in his own. As they continued upstream, Lance’s banks began to blossom in their wake; daisies made way for jasmine blossoms and even a few small patches of heliotropes. The couple hardly noticed, as they were too busy talking and stealing the occasional kiss to look back.

* * *

“You know,” Pidge hopped from one boulder to the next while Lance watched from below. “If I didn’t know what was going on, I’d be feeling pretty threatened right now.”

“I swear I don’t know what you mean,” he sniffed, turning aside.

“All these flowers, dude,” she gestured toward the largest white patch, now overtaken by pinks and reds. “I haven’t even seen half of these species before!”

He only shrugged. 

“I’m guessing your three days went well, then?” she smirked. 

Flushing, Lance retreated deeper under the surface. His source churned while Pidge laughed. 

“I had to keep to the outskirts of my forest—I thought you were going to turn our banks into marshes!"

"We only talked!" he insisted.

She raised a brow. "Shiro was storming pretty hard for talking."

"Some people find me to be quite humorous!"

She rolled her eyes but smiled. "Regardless of what you two got up to in your private time—"

"Just talking!"

"—I'm happy for you."

"But next time he comes around—wait, huh?"

"I said, I'm happy for you." 

A small current pushed him upward, and he poked his face above the surface. "Really? You going soft on me?"

"Maybe I was just sick of you mooning over him."

"I'm not the ocean, I don't do things like  _moon_."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that."

He paddled closer to the shore, pushing through the fallen flower petals that Shiro's winds had collected when he'd made his leave. "He said he'll try coming back next cycle, too."

"That's great."

"But even then, I'm only going to see him once a cycle at most. It's... sad," his frowning face fell back beneath his waters.

"Yeah... I'm sorry. But, hey, you still have Hunk and I to hang out with! We can definitely find ways to pass the time until the cycle's up! Speaking of adventures, while you were having your little lovefest over here, I went out to investigate the other side of the island. I managed to find a few birds that had ventured that way."

He perked up immediately. "Really? What'd they say?"

"There apparently isn't a lot in the way of life out that way. Well, there are animals, but they look kind of like us."

"Spirits?"

"The birds didn't think so. But, we may be in luck. While I was out there, I stumbled across this structure that was filled with water. It went pretty deep underground, so I couldn't follow it. Maybe my favorite water spirit can give it a shot."

"But they're not my waters—I don't want to step on any toes."

"That's the thing, I don’t think you would be. It didn't seem to be living."

"Like, stillwater?" He shivered at the thought. "If that's the case, I don't want to go in there."

"It'll just be for a little bit!" she insisted. "Think of what we could discover! Maybe we could help!"

He paused. "They need help?"

"Sure! There's obviously no one protecting the land. Shiro himself doesn't even pass over. It's like a shell of what it could be. It would be selfish of us to sit by and do nothing."

"Well... when you put it that way..."

"Great! I'll get Hunk to carry you. Your nearest reach is still a bit far from it."

"What, right now?"

"Why not? We only have a cycle!"

"But I'm resting!"

"You should've thought of that before you decided to play your days away with Shiro!"

"You're never going to let me hear the end of this, are you?"

"Never."

* * *

"Well, it looks like a rock," Hunk surmised after kicking the grey cylinder that Pidge had brought them too.

"And that's water in it," Lance, prone in Hunk's arms, carefully leaned over to confirm that, yes, it did seem to transport stillwater down the mountainside. "Not a lot, though—I can barely fit in that!"

"I don't think he should go down it," Hunk said. "How will he come back up? The gravity will keep him down, and neither of us know where it ends or if we could even go there."

"He doesn't have to, like, throw his whole body down there!" Pidge pouted. "Just, a little trickle, or something. Then, he can tell us where it ends and we can investigate further!"

"Sure, I'll just throw my leg down there, that's not important, or anything. Why can't you throw a stick?"

"I tried, but I lose connection with nonliving parts of me. And, I tried putting roots down, but the water is, as I said, still. No nutrients."

"Fine, fine. You're lucky I'm still pretty full from the last few cycles." Reaching toward the small stream, a part of his hand wriggled loose, shifting into clear water that floated through the air till he directed it at the grey cylinder. He cringed the second it touched the unfamiliar water, even wincing as he pushed it downward. "This feels gross," he noted. The water was still connected to his hand, though as he pushed and pushed, the water whip shrank. 

"How far are you?" Pidge asked. 

"Pretty far. Oh, some more water came in from a different source. Also stillwater."

"Interesting. These things must be all over the other side of the mountain!" Hunk mused.

"Where is this water coming from, I wonder? Oh!"

"What is it?"

"It's getting faster. Probably nearing the end."

Pidge and Hunk leaned forward in anticipation as Lance seemed to focus in on his task. They quickly regretted their movement when Lance let out a sharp cry of pain that rang in their ears.

"What is it?" Hunk shook his friend's form that seemed to waver. His hand was losing itself, waves rippling up his arm. 

"I don't know!" He grunted. "It burns!"

"Pull it back!"

"I can't!"

"Cut it off!"

"It's my hand in there, Pidge!"

"It will heal!" She insisted. 

Steeling himself, he nodded. Then with a quick flick of his arm, the connection between him and the stillwater was severed. He brought his hand up to face level to survey the damage. 

"Oof," Hunk said sympathetically. "At least it's only a few fingers."

"I'm missing half my hand!" He yelled. "Look at this!" The break was disturbing, to say the least. Lance could naturally distribute his waters as he saw fit, but it had never looked as heinous as this. Instead of simply removing the parts of himself, leaving no evidence of pain, where his lost waters had touched he bore scorch marks. 

"Was there fire?" Pidge asked. 

"I don't know what it was, but it hurt like hell. It kind of felt hot, but... as if it was being heated from within instead of from the outside. Like, it didn't feel like the cycles when Keith can't relax. It was a hundred times worse."

"That's... not good," Pidge frowned. "Was it too far for us to go ourselves?"

"Definitely too far for me. Maybe in a few cycles, if you pushed your treeline further, you could make it, Pidge."

"Why do you even want to go there?" Hunk asked. "It sounds terrible! Lance looks like one of your trees that's been struck by lightning! No offense, buddy, you look great. It's just, well, your hand looks awful."

"Thanks a lot."

"We  _have_ to go now! There's something dangerous down there!"

"Whatever it is isn't something we can handle right now," Hunk said. 

"But we don't know that!"

"Look what it did to Lance! He's water, Pidge, he's life! This... whatever it is, was strong enough to kill life!"

"But—"

Hunk rumbled low, and the ground shuddered beneath their feet. "Pidge, we need to take Lance back to his source so he can recover. I won't be a part of this if it's putting anyone at risk."

"Aren't we supposed to be the guardians of this island? This is our land and something is sick!"

"This side of the island is not our land. I don't know whose it is, but it's their responsibility, not ours!"

"Hey guys," Lance interjected, voice weak. "I'm not feeling great."

"What if it's contagious? We could be next!"

"Then we'll fix it when it's in our territory. We're powerless here!"

"Guys!" Lance yelled.

"What?" Both Pidge and Hunk snapped. 

"I'm sorry. I'm about to make a mess."

"Dude," Hunk said. "You're boiling!" 

Sure enough, Lance's form was bubbling at the surface.

"What's happening?"

"He needs his source!"

"No!" He yelled. "Don't bring me there."

"But you'll die!"

"I'll come back, it's fine. Whatever touched me, I don't want it to get into my source. I'll be okay."

Pidge sniffed, tears threatening her eyes. "Ugh, I hate when this happens."

"Tell Shiro I'm sorry I can't make our date this cycle. But, I'll meet him at my source when I'm back, okay?"

Hunk was openly bawling, even though he knew that his friend would return, for when a river spirit passes, perhaps by making a wrong turn and getting stuck in a new lake, cut off from their source, they can simply wait to be reborn in the source, as Lance had done a handful of times before when he and Hunk were still carving out his domain. Sometimes a storm would pick him up, or sometimes he would evaporate, which, while a less pleasant alternative, could happen more quickly than simple winds.

"Are you drying up?" Pidge asked. "This doesn't seem the same! What if you don't come back?"

"I will," he said, though he himself didn't know. "Don't worry. Keith will give me an earful, I'm sure, but I'll be back."

"I'm so sorry," Pidge said. "I didn't... if I'd known this would happen."

"I'll be back," he promised. "Just protect my source and everything will be fine." With one last smile, he seemed to melt, falling to the ground in heavy droplets. 

"It's sad, but also gross," Hunk said through his tears as the last of Lance hit the rocks. "Well, let's head home. He's probably going to beat us back."

* * *

 

Usually when Lance dried up, Keith was there in the white space, glare at the ready. Lance would say something along the lines of, "why'd they let a devil into the heavens?" and Keith would comment on Lance's dry humor before he would toss Lance back into his source. He was ready for their usual interaction, so he was surprised to see Keith looking rather somber. 

"Why the long face, buddy?" he asked. 

Keith offered a rare smile. As a beam, his visage was always bright, but his smiles were especially so. "Hey, Lance."

"You okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You're... less prickly?"

"We're friends—can't I just be nice?"

Lance attempted to cross his arms then seemed to remember that he was simply vapor at that point. His cloud-self attempted to look sassy, though he wasn't sure it translated. "That's not in your vocabulary, hothead."

Instead of a quip, Keith sighed. "You guys shouldn't have gone to that pipe. That side of the island... now they know where you are."

"Huh? Who knows?"

"The humans."

"Humans? What's a human?"

"They will kill you, Lance. You and Pidge and Hunk and Allura and everyone on that island."

"Allura? Who's that?"

"You... what?"

"Allura? And what do you mean everyone on the island? It's just me, Hunk, and Pidge!"

"You don't... none of you remember?"

"Do you have heat stroke or something, Keith?"

"No wonder... this makes more sense."

"I can tell you what doesn't make any sense, and it's this whole conversation."

"I had thought you just didn't care, but you don't remember them. I wonder..."

"Keith, buddy, please. A little explanation?"

"Maybe only heavenly spirits can remember. If I send you back, you may forget again."

"Sounds great. I'd love to forget this whole confusing encounter."

Suddenly, Keith was in Lance's face. "I need you to listen. This dead half of the island, it wasn't always dead. Hunk's other half, the rest of the land, her name was Shay. Pidge's brother, Matt, gave life to the plants and animals. And Allura, your friend, together you two lived in the hidden mountain springs and worked to ensure that all the island was fed with water."

Lance paused, mind racing. "That can't be true. I'd remember it. There's no water in the mountains—Hunk would know."

"It was diverted, long ago. Your current source was all that was left. But that's not your real source."

"What does this mean? Can't you just send me home instead of being cryptic?"

"I would but..." He shook his head, then smiled. "She's back."

"Uh, who?"

"I knew they were there somewhere! That means Shay, Matt, too! They're alive!"

"These spirits that I don't remember. Cool. So, send me back please?"

"I can't. Allura's the river spirit now."

"Right... wait... huh?"

"I'm sorry, Lance. You have to go somewhere else for a bit. But, I promise you, in time everything will be back to normal. I don't know where I'm sending you, but we will all work to find you, okay?"

In a surprising show of affection, Keith surged forward and caught Lance in a firm hug. 

"We'll find you."

* * *

 

Keith had been working hard all cycle, apparently heat waves were in great demand those days. So, when Shiro was born again that cycle, he was met instead by a sunbeam he found particularly annoying.

"Slav," he fought the urge to glare. "Hello."

"Shiro!" He began. "It's been some time! We have so much to catch up on! What's it been—20 years or so? I could talk for a whole cycle!"

"Actually, if you didn't do that, that would be... fantastic. I'm in a hurry."

"One can't rush nature, my friend!"

"I just need to be pushed on my way, actually."

"What's the rush?"

"Long journey, people to see. I'm sure you know."

"People, hm? You surely must mean Lance!"

He flushed. "That's hardly your business!"

"Oh ho, but it is! Why, according to my calculations, there's an eighty percent chance that you finally made a move!"

"Can you just send me off?"

"Oh, but... hmm..." He frowned. "That's rather sad. But! Things will work out just fine, I think!"

"What's sad?"

"Nothing, nothing!"

"Slav... Did you see something?"

"You talk too much, Shiro! Let me send you before you chat my ears off!"

"Wait, Slav!"

With a mighty wave of heat, Shiro was gone.

* * *

 

Lance was going to kill Keith.

In as painful a way as possible.

Could sunbeams die?

He wasn't sure.

He didn't know that spirits could actually die until he'd found himself utterly trapped in that pool. He could feel himself fading, going still, like the water Pidge had discovered. It wouldn't be long before he was simply water, no longer living or able to produce life. 

As he laid in his strange tank, he watched the sky. The sun beat on overhead bright and happy, as if mocking him and his misery. A soft wind brushed his surface and he shivered at the soft relief it offered him. Of course, as soon as it passed the continual burn of the various other liquids being dumped into him returned. 

His nose twitched as something silky and smooth landed on his face. Crossing his eyes to look, he smiled softly. It had been a long time since he'd seen any plants, let alone any flowers as pristine as this. He barely had time to appreciate it, however, as another wind stole the iris and took it out of his sight.

Shutting his eyes, he tried to relax. The major perk of dying, at least, was this his memory was slowly starting to clear up. Just as Keith had mentioned, he remembered Allura, Matt, and Shay, their dear friends who'd been lost to them many cycles before. He wondered if they remembered him, if Hunk and Pidge remembered him—if  _Shiro_  did. If what Keith had said was true, the storm should remember him, being of the heavens and not the earth.

He could only hope the rest of what Keith had said was true, too. He wasn't sure how much longer he had.

* * *

Shiro arrived at the island in perhaps the least dignified way that a storm could manage. In his rush he almost faceplanted into the sandbar but managed to catch himself with the help of the kind, welcoming waters. He expected Lance to be there, ready to jump in his arms, and so he braced himself upon materializing.

"Shiro!" A familiar figure sprinted toward him and claimed Lance's spot for herself. "It is so good to see you!"

He returned the embrace, though he was confused. He hadn't expected to see Allura of all people. "Allura! Wow, it's been a long time!"

"Only a few cycles, don't be silly!" Pulling back, she looked up at him and grinned. 

"Where's Lance?"

"Who?"

He chuckled drily. "Don't joke like that, Allura."

She frowned and took a step back. She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted.

"Shiro!" Pidge cheered on seeing the storm. "You were here just a cycle ago! Why are you back so soon?"

"Pidge, where's Lance?"

"Lance?" Hunk joined the group on the beach. "Lance... what's a Lance?"

Shiro paled, remembering. This had happened years and years before, though instead it was Lance, Hunk, and Pidge who could no longer remember their counterparts from the other side of the island. It only meant one thing.

"Well, aren't you going to take me back to my source, Shiro?" Allura tapped his shoulder impatiently. 

"Your source? You mean Lance's source."

"I think you've been at sea for too long," she took his arm and pulled him inland. "You're early, so we have plenty of time to chat this cycle! You'll be delighted to see all the flowers that have sprouted on my banks!"

"What?"

She continued walking, not seeming to note Shiro's distress. "They're not Pidge's doing, however, so it's a bit odd—but, they're quite lovely. Oh! There's a patch now." More insistent, she yanked him down so he could appreciate the blooms. "They're called forget-me-nots, apparently. Isn't that sweet?"

He reached toward one, and the flower danced at his touch.

"Oh! Well that's odd," Allura mused. "Wonder what that could mean."

Across the island, Lance took a final, shuddering breath.

"This... I don't understand..." Shiro shrugged off Allura's grip and turned an accusing glare at the three standing on the beach. "How could this happen? How could you let him die?" he yelled.

"Woah, Shiro, calm down," Hunk stepped toward him, arms out in surrender. "You're making clouds," he noted, pointing up at the darkening sky.

"I don't want to deal with any more flooding," Pidge whined.

"Shiro?" Allura began, a concerned look on his face. "Please, tell us what's wrong."

"What's wrong is everything! You forgot about him! I need to find him. He has to be here somewhere!"

A burst of light blinded them for a second, and Shiro felt himself grow from the conflicting temperatures.

"Keith..." He turned to his brother. "What's happening? Why don’t they remember? Where is Lance?"

"It's hard to say where he is exactly. The same forces that separated Hunk from Shay, Pidge from Matt, and Lance from Allura, they have him now."

"What do you mean 'have him'? He's water! He's a free spirit!"

"He's meant to be free, which is why containment is killing him, even more than it hurt Allura."

"What do you mean? Where was she?"

"You know that within the peak where Hunk and Shay meet is a large series of springs. The true source for the water on this island."

"I... I suppose I remember that vaguely."

"Lance and Allura were twin spirits who guarded the springs, and with the help of Hunk and Shay they meandered to their respective sides of the island, giving room for Pidge and Matt to grow."

"Okay..."

"From what I've learned from Coran, many years ago, people came to this island and started... changing things. They reshaped the land and cut the trees and animals, even attempted to divert Allura's water. It was sustainable at first, but eventually it got to a point where it was hurting them. They took so much from the source that it was drying up both Lance and Allura.

"Shay saw this, and she and Allura decided it would be better for everyone if only half of the island was taken. And so, she closed herself off from Hunk, and Lance's connection to the mountain source was severed. He made a new source, while Allura was drained away by these builders. Shay, too, became so depleted, that eventually she fell silent. Matt...  I'm not sure where he is. I think many of his animals managed to flee to Pidge's domain, but as they felled his many trees and erected buildings from his remains, he was lost too.

"I... I barely remember this, myself. How is that possible?"

"It is the nature of earthbound spirits to not leave traces of themselves when they are lost. I am surprised you forgot so much, but perhaps it is because you are so close to one of them."

"Where is Lance now?"

"He made himself known to the builders, and they reworked some of their pipes. Allura had all but dried up, so they closed off that system. In doing so, she grew strong enough and was born again in a new source, Lance's. He, on the other hand, after I sent him back down, was taken."

"You... you knew this would happen? And you sent him anyway?"

"It was the only way."

Shiro stepped toward the ocean, gathering his strength for a push upward. His friends around him cowered slightly as he amassed water and debris. 

"You should've told me!" he shouted at Keith.

"You would've spared him! Over the lives of the rest of the island!"

"What?" he shouted. "He's not... he can't be..."

"Everything will be fine, Shiro. This is for the best."

"This wasn't your decision to make."

"It wasn't. I was following orders."

Without another word, Shiro took off into the sky. The clouds overhead swirled around him, dark and angry and hurt. With Keith nearby, he was strong enough to go directly over the largest peak, a typically impossible feat. His body extended onward and outward, encompassing not just half of the island, but the entire landmass.

Finally, he spotted a patch of water, a lone blue spot on the barren land. Matt's touch had long since faded, replaced with buildings the likes of which he'd seen many times before on his travels. He knew humans, and he'd never had any desire to hurt them. He tried his best to make sure his storms never impacted their homes too greatly. 

But these buildings weren't like the homes he'd seen; they were nothing more than outposts for those who pilfered the land. He wanted nothing more than to destroy them, and this sentiment only grew as he neared Lance. 

Landing with a loud boom of thunder, Shiro waded in the small pond that Lance had become. It felt so unlike him, as if it wasn't even truly water anymore.

Everything was still.

"I'm sorry," a burning hand touched his back. "This isn't the way this was supposed to happen."

"How could we have let him die?"

"I know it's hard but there are positives. You've brought life back to this side of the island. It hasn't rained here in decades. And your winds have even toppled rocks and woken Shay."

"What?"

Keith nodded. "I imagine Matt will take root soon as well. And, with the damage you've caused to this settlement, the humans will be wise to take their leave, allowing things to go back to normal."

"It won't be normal if Lance isn't here."

Keith said nothing. 

"There are so many other ways this could've been achieved. I don't understand."

"It's not your job to understand," a familiar, more noble voice sounded. Shiro didn't even turn to his superior, too focused on holding Lance.

"Coran," he said. 

"I'm quite sorry for the pain that this has caused. I know you care for Lance a great deal."

"I don't just care for him. I love him."

"It's because of that that we decided to do this."

"What?"

"When Lance was born, he was weak. Without Allura, he wouldn't have lasted on his own. When she sacrificed herself, he was able to carve his own place, and he became a fully independent river. But, with her back, the island didn't need two powerful water spirits."

"So you killed him?"

"My dear boy!" Coran gasped. "Lance is like a son to me. To kill him would cause me, and everyone, more pain that I could bear! Look around you. Rain has a habit of making the flowers grow, my young storm!"

Shiro finally turned his gaze from Lance's prone form that seemed to evaporate a little more with each second. Sure enough, along the shoreline were countless flowers peeking through the dirt in response to his steady drizzle.

"Well, Pidge will be glad that Matt's back." He turned back to Lance, whose body finally seemed to give up. The last of his water melted into the sludge-filled pool. 

"You think Matt could make flowers this gorgeous?" a cocky voice asked.

Shiro's head shot up at the sound. "Lance?"

Sitting among the flowers as if Shiro hadn't just held his dying form, was Lance, looking healthier than ever. Shiro shot to his feet, racing toward the spirit. He tackled him in a hug, their fall cradled by the softly singing blooms.

"I should be offended," Lance continued. "You know Matt and Pidge prefer conifers to blossoms."

"I thought this would be an ideal solution!" Coran said. "The island has no need for two river spirits, but it was rather lacking in a flower spirit!"

"This... was unexpected," Keith noted.

"What, you thought I'd actually die?" Lance laughed. 

"Coran didn't tell me the whole plan!"

"And still you pushed me to my death! I swear you want to see my dried up for good, don't you?" He stuck his tongue out at Keith. "Well now I'm particularly hardy!"

"Those dainty things? Are you joking?"

"Actually, Lance now has a few more advantages over his previous form. He is no longer limited as he once was by things like territory. Unlike the other spirits, who are restricted to this island, wherever his seeds can land, he can be! Why, with the help of, say for example, a strong wind or storm, Lance's domain could have no end!"

"Great," Keith groaned. "So now there'll be no escaping him!"

"I can spread my glory all through the land! Like a gift from the heavens!"

"More like an invasive species."

"This means of course that Shiro can take Lance with him wherever he goes. But, I'm sure this will remain your home, and with the revival of Shay and Matt thanks to Shiro's wild storming, you'll have ample reason to stay. Still, you'll have plenty of vacation homes to travel to as well!"

"I can just... teleport?"

"To wherever you have your flowers, yes."

"That... is so cool! Can you believe it, Shiro?" he turned to face the storm, whose face was surprisingly somber. "Shiro?"

"I thought I lost you," he pressed a hand against Lance's cheek.

Lance placed his own hand over Shiro's. "I thought I was lost, too," he replied. "I could feel... it's hard to describe, but I was fading. I knew I was dying, being forgotten. But... but you remembered me. You remembered, and you reached out to me, and I knew it would be alright."

"The flowers."

He nodded. "That's right. Even before... all this, I had those blooms on my banks because of you."

"How can that be?"

"I love you, Shiro. That's how."

"Well," Coran interrupted. "The explanation is more complicated than that, in fact—"

Lance turned to Coran, pouting. "Coran! We're having a moment!"

"Right, carry on."

"Shiro, if you'll have me, I want to go with you, I want to see all the things you see. I want—"

"Hey everyone!"

"Oh my goodness if one more person interrupts us!" Lance yelled at the newcomer, then gasped. "Matt!" After glancing behind his long-forgotten friend, his grin grew. "And Shay!"

"Maybe we can have this conversation later," Shiro said. "In private?"

"That may be best."

Shiro rose to his feet, offering a hand to help Lance stand, and the two, hand-in-hand, faced the rest of their friends. The storm had long since settled into a calm breeze; the drama had passed. 

Coran suggested to Lance that he try out his new powers. He shut his eyes and focused on the flowers that he'd left on the beach, and when he opened them, they were all standing among them. Pidge, Hunk, and Allura snapped to attention at the sudden arrival, then, upon remembering their friends, raced to hug the ones that had been lost to them for so long. 

In addition to catching up on decades of life, the three from the other side of the island noted the importance of making a plan to bring new like to their side. 

"Lance and Shiro laid the groundwork," Shay said. "And now Matt can bring his own trees. Allura will have to do double duty serving both sides once I open the source, but I'm sure she can handle it."

"Of course I can! Lance was holding me back," she teased. 

"I'll just spread my flowers, don't you guys worry," Lance said. "Well, in a few days, maybe. Shiro and I have some catching up of our own to do."

"Gross," Pidge and Matt said simultaneously.

"I believe my work here is done!" Coran said with a clap of his hands. "Keith will stick around to make sure the new plants are kept warm and well-lit."

"You should stay," Shiro said. "We're rarely all together like this."

"Well, alright! If you insist!"

"Alright! It's an island recovery party!" Lance cheered. "...that Shiro and I will join in a few moons. Goodbye!"

With a turn of his heel, Lance dragged Shiro toward his old home, figuring Allura would allow them a few peaceful days together. They walked through the river, as they'd always done, and with each step, pink lotuses sprung up in their wake. 

As half of the island was born anew, and as old friends were reunited, the whole of the island filled with soft and everlasting blooms. 

**Author's Note:**

> Be sure to check out the rest of the awesome works in this collection as well as the tag #ShanceFlowerExchange on tumblr/twitter for more beautiful shance art! :)


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